Edward Malesic

Edward Charles Malesic (born August 14, 1960) is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who serves as bishop of Cleveland in Ohio. He previously served as bishop of Greensburg in Pennsylvania from 2015 to 2020.

Biography

Early life Malesic was born on August 14, 1960, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, one of four children born to Joseph A. and Elizabeth Schatt Malesic. His paternal grandparents immigrated from the Bela Krajina region in Slovenia. He graduated from Central Dauphin East High School in Harrisburg in 1978.

Priesthood Malesic was ordained a priest by Bishop William Henry Keeler for the Diocese of Harrisburg on May 30, 1987. Malesic later received a Licentiate of Canon Law from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

On June 22, 2020, a man filed a lawsuit against Malesic, the Diocese of Greensburg, and Cardinal Donald Wuerl. The plaintiff said that Reverend Joseph L. Sredzinski, a priest in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, sexually abused him beginning in 1991, from age 11 to 17. Reports of the lawsuit did not explain Malesic's involvement.

Bishop of Cleveland Pope Francis appointed Malesic as bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland on July 16, 2020. He was installed on September 14, 2020.

In 2023, Malesic issued new policies concerning LGBTQ Catholics, prohibiting all diocesan employees and students from undergoing gender-affirming surgery and using bathrooms or pronouns different than those affiliated with their sex as assigned at birth. The policies also require parents to be notified if their child is experiencing "gender dysphoria or gender confusion." This drew criticism from some parents, LGBTQ advocates, and elected officials, including Cleveland mayor Justin Bibb.

In 2025, Malesic expressed his support for a special message from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that criticized the mass deportation efforts during the second presidency of Donald Trump, recognizing the "pre-eminent dignity of every human being" and advocating for "responsible and reasonable immigration reform to fix a broken system."